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Pride of Britain host Carol Vorderman says her recent health crisis has given her a new perspective, forcing her to focus on what truly matters.

After a year-long health crisis, and as she marks 44 years on television, Carol Vorderman wants to “deep cleanse” her life and focus on what matters. The 65-year-old Pride of Britain presenter and former Countdown star was completely floored for most of last year, with a sudden debilitating case of rheumatoid arthritis.

She couldn’t walk without crying in pain and found the experience depressing and a shock to the system. Carol says: “As you get older, health becomes one of your top priorities. And time – who you spend that time with, and what you spend that time on. Time becomes your currency, so you don’t want to waste it.

“Every single person I know of my age group, we’re all trying to get rid of stuff. You spend all your life accumulating, but you don’t want to waste time curating things you’ve accumulated. It’s a deep cleanse for old age. Being really poorly and on a lot of medication for so much time really has given me a new perspective.

“You become much more conscious of your overall health. Your priority list changes. It was a big shock to the system, and that’s why I have every sympathy for people with chronic pain. I just don’t know how they live with it. It’s just depressing.”

Carol is due to present The Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards, in partnership with P&O Cruises, for the 27th year – a show she has recently co-hosted with Diversity star Ashley Banjo.

The event, shown on ITV and ITVX, celebrates the nation’s unsung heroes and includes awards for Child of Courage, Outstanding Bravery, Lifetime and Young Fundraiser.

Carol says: “The first Pride of Britain was 1999, so it only occurred to me this week that I was on Countdown for 26 years, but now Pride of Britain is my long runner. On November 2, I celebrate 44 years on TV. I’m not having a party, but I am getting a BAFTA Cymru for Outstanding Achievement. In other words, still being alive!

“The reason I keep doing Pride of Britain is because it’s the best job. It’s very glam. There are lots of very glam shows, but it’s very real. I do get emotional about the show about a week before. I remember the people who have won awards and have either passed away through old age or particularly the youngsters who died. They came on because they had cancer and raised money, or whatever their story might have been, and they’re no longer with us.

“Then you also remember the people who were doing these great things 15 years ago are still doing them. I always come back to how many great people there are. The show makes you want to be better and it’s made me more of a fighter.”

Carol recalls how she had to fight when her health nosedived. She says: “I had travel vaccines for a trip to Thailand and within three days I had chronic rheumatoid arthritis. I can’t prove that they caused it. My hands doubled in size. I couldn’t walk. I literally couldn’t move anything without crying in pain.

“I was on steroids probably for about eight months, and now I’m on other medication for the rest of my life. That’s hard because I’ve always prided myself on being healthy. It was as much as I could do to look out of the window and think, ‘I hope one day I’ll be able to walk without pain again.’

“The big thing for a lot of older people is community. You’ve got to feel a part of something. I know that my mum living with us and being around the kids, living in a busy house, gave her a purpose.

“If she’d just been living by herself somewhere, she wouldn’t have lasted. And smartphones don’t help. I love keeping up to date with what people are doing on Instagram, but it’s not the same as getting people together.”

Carol also reveals that laughter is extremely important to her wellbeing. “People who laugh are very special,” she says. “I love laughing. I love laughing at myself. Most of my friends just completely take the p*** out of me all the time.

“As you get older, you realise that even people who make you laugh and want to share, there’s a kindness in it. So for me, there are people who are heroes, because they make you feel better, they make you laugh, rather than taking offence, and I think there’s something quite heroic in that. There’s something about laughter that just breaks down the barriers.”

Carol has also long been a passionate, unfiltered voice of public frustration, turning to political advocacy to expose what she calls “political corruption”. She says: “Good people also need support so that they can do even more good things. Some people have been through so much pain and grief, some of it caused by certain politicians.

“Those things make me very angry, and I suppose now I’m at an age where I no longer need to build a career. A lot of girls say to me, ‘I believe in everything that you do, Carol, but I wish I could say the things you do. I just don’t feel strong enough.’ I say, ‘Yeah, but you’re not in a position to. I am in a position to say it, so I feel that responsibility.’”

Despite the emotional weight of Pride of Britain, Carol says there is always lightness on the show. She recalls: “The one that I always remember was in 2012 when we had lots of people on the stage, because we were celebrating the London Olympics. To present the award was Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, as they were then.

“Then in my ear, the show’s boss said, ‘You’ve got to make Charles do the Mobot. Do it.’ So I talked about the wonderful Mo Farah and said, ‘Obviously sir, you will have seen this, shall we all do the Mobot?’ I collared him into it, he couldn’t stand there and say no. So he did it, what a good sport. The next day officials at Clarence House brought up that they hadn’t approved the Mobot ‘incident’ and asked who was responsible.”

For Carol, Pride of Britain is a chance to take a moment and appreciate good people. She says: “Pride of Britain gives us all an opportunity to take a breath for a couple of hours and witness these very real people who are doing very real things because they are brave, they’re determined. It’s a whole balance of life.”

*The Pride of Britain Awards will take place on 19th October, before airing on ITV and ITVX from 22nd October. Find out more about the Pride of Britain Awards 2026 HERE

As new research reveals young people could spend 42% more time on their phones during the school holidays, mum of two Hannah Britt took matters into her own hands on a DIY digital detox

With half term approaching, screen time may be about to soar. In fact, young people could spend 42% more time on their phones during the summer holidays compared to term time, according to research by Vodafone. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Mum of two Hannah Britt booked her family into a remote farmhouse in France for a DIY digital detox to reap the rewards of going screen-free…

I’m not going to lie, I’m completely addicted to my phone. As is my partner John. We spend our evenings scrolling social media, sending endless Reels back and forth. We work on small screens during the day, take breaks and look at our tiny screens… then watch the big screen in the living room to unwind.

Thankfully our two young children don’t have a phone, but they do both own a Kindle and are quite partial to a Peppa Pig marathon. Like many, during school holidays their screen time soars. And this is something I’m determined to change. When I read the research that young people could spend 42% more time on screens on school holidays, it gave me an idea.

Leaving the Kindles at home, I booked a remote French farmhouse on Airbnb and packed us off for a DIY digital detox. And I’m so glad I did. The stone farmhouse, in Saint-Sauveur-de-Cruzieres provided the perfect backdrop for old fashioned family fun – not a telly or smartphone in sight.

Parenting expert Kirsty Ketley explains. “School provides children with structure and built-in limits on screen use, and of course, once home, there are less hours in the day for screens, but once the holidays arrive, that structure disappears,” she says.

“Parents are often juggling work, childcare, and the cost of keeping kids entertained, so screens naturally become a convenient option. On top of that, digital entertainment is designed to be engaging and hard to switch off from, so it’s no surprise children gravitate towards it when they have long stretches of free time.”

So what’s the issue? “It’s not that screens are inherently ‘bad’,” says Kirsty. “In fact, they can be educational, social, and even calming at times. However, when screen time dominates, it can crowd out other important activities like active play, real-world socialising, outdoor time, and rest.

High levels of screen use are also linked to disrupted sleep, reduced concentration, and higher stress levels in both children and adults. The key issue isn’t the screen itself, but what’s being displaced when usage creeps up too high. It’s why having consistent boundaries around screen time is important, so that kids strike a healthy balance.”

But back to the Airbnb farmhouse. It was a Guest Favourite (easy to recognise as they have a special logo on the properties, and a collection of the most-loved homes on Airbnb, according to guests), and soon became a home from home.

On arrival, John and I placed our phones in a drawer, along with the children’s Kindles. Finding the TV remote, we hid it on the top shelf of a bookcase. The DIY digital detox had begun!

And soon we found there was plenty to do that didn’t involve a device. The pool, of course, provided hours of entertainment, as did the swings, hammock and garden games. With no phone to check, I found myself truly engaged the whole time, present and in-the-moment. The girls were the same.

Peppa Pig was replaced with a performance of the Backstreet Boys in the outdoor dining area, and Instagram was shunned in favour of a nature walk in the grounds. We saw a rabbit, hundreds of crickets and the back end of a badger for our troubles.

The farmhouse’s long indoor table was close to the aircon, and provided a place to draw and read when the weather outside reached boiling point. And we spread blankets out on the parched grass to lounge upon and play tea parties.

We did use a satnav (technically a screen) when exploring the local area, but car games provided entertainment on journeys to Barjac for its antique market, and and phones were stashed in bags when out and about, only taken out to pay for fridge magnets and snacks.

As the days wore on, the kids stopped asking for their Kindles, or to watch TV, and I missed my phone less and less. I felt more relaxed than I had in ages, more present and calm. By the time our week at the farmhouse was up I was almost sad to take my device from its drawer, something totally unexpected. And I can’t wait to go screen free again.

Exploring Saint-Sauveur-de-Cruzières and beyond

• Barjac: Stroll through the shady, cobbled streets of this neighbouring Renaissance village (about 7.4 km away), known for its stone architecture, local artisan shops, and vibrant markets.
• Saint-Montan: Wander around a beautifully restored medieval village clinging to the rocks near the Sainte-Beaume gorges.
• Local Markets: Visit nearby regional open-air markets, such as Barjac on Fridays or Saint-Ambroix on Tuesdays, to sample local goat’s cheese, honey, and charcuterie.
• Gorges de l’Ardèche & Pont d’Arc: See the famous natural stone arch of Le Pont d’Arc (about 16 km away) and enjoy canoeing, swimming, or lounging on the river beaches.
• Bois de Païolive: Hike through a magical, labyrinth-like stone forest filled with bizarrely shaped limestone rocks and ancient oak trees.

Plan fun offline activities

• Cook and bake together: Involve children in prepping meals, measuring ingredients, or baking treats to build teamwork and practical skills.
• Head outdoors: Go for family bike rides, visit a local park, or kick a football around to boost physical health and burn energy.
• Play together: Break out board games, card games, puzzles, or building blocks like Lego for low-stress, interactive group play.
• Create easy access to crafts: Keep colouring books, crafting supplies, and building kits in a visible, reachable spot so family members can grab them out of boredom instead of reaching for a screen

*For more information on Airbnb, see HERE

The full lineup for the new series of Celebrity Race Across the World has been revealed, and Princess and Junior Andre will be seen competing on the hit BBC show

Princess and Junior Andre have joined the star-studded lineup of Celebrity Race Across the World. The children of Katie Price and Peter Andre have begun to carve out their own careers in showbiz in recent years, with Princess, 19, heading up her own ITV2 reality show and Junior, 21, working as a musician.

Now, the brother-and-sister duo have been confirmed as one of the pairs on the upcoming edition of the BBC show, in which individual teams try to travel the globe without access to planes, credit cards or smartphones.

Alongside Princess and Junior, the other pairs confirmed to be taking part are Eurovision star Sam Ryder alongside his best friend and tour manage Kaz. BRIT Award-winning singer-songwriter Ella Eyre will be competing alongside her childhood friend Nana, and veteran sports broadcaster Jeff Stelling with his son Matt.

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The BBC confirmed the news with a series of photos of the pairs, and said: “Say hello to the lineup of Celebrity Race Across the World, coming soon to BBC iPlayer.

“Celebrity Race Across The World: Familiar faces, numerous countries, zero VIP treatment. Famous family & friends pairs take on a race across the world – by any means necessary.”

Princess then broke her silence about the news and wrote on Instgaram: “Finally….we are excited to announce that we are part of @raceacrosstheworld!!” Meanwhile, Space Man singer Sam also addressed the news as he wrote on social media: “see you soon bbc1“

When it comes to Princess and Junior, insiders previously claimed that that the pair had signed up. A source told The Sun of the show’s new signing: “Princess and Junior have proven themselves to be well-mannered, hardworking kids and opportunities continue to come their way. Execs were impressed with the ratings for The Princess Diaries but also how they came across.

“They’re brilliant signings for Celeb Race as they bring with them a younger audience. But bosses are also looking forward to seeing how they cope with the stripped-back style of travelling as they’re more at home in five-star hotels than a hostel.”

Last year, it was The One Show star Roman Kemp and his sister Harley Moon, the children of Martin and Shirlie Kemp, who emerged victorious from the series.

Following his win, Roman told The Mirror: “It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life, by far.” Bravely, Roman continued: “And doing it with no antidepressants is the hardest thing ever.

I was on the verge of a panic attack constantly.” Roman started taking sertraline, an antidepressant known as an SSRI, as a teenager, as well as dealing with suicidal thoughts from the age of 15. But it was, it’s the best thing. I think retrospectively [it’s] the best thing I have ever done because I spent ridiculous time with my sister and that’s something we never. Never did.”

Celebrity Race Across The World will air on BBC One and iPlayer soon

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